Locking mechanism.



III u u uumumm H. A. STEUERNAGEL.

LOCKING MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED APR.2I, I916. 1,187,109; Patented June 13, 1916.

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Affarneg H. A. STEU'ERNAGEL.

LOCKING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. 1916.

Patented Jll1l613, 1916.

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HARRY A. STE'UERNAGEL, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

LOCKING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. STEUnRrIA- GEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Mechanism, of which the following is ,a specification.

This invention relates to locking mechanism, the object of the invention being to provide simple and effective means by which a member can be firmly and substantially held to its support of whatever nature the same may be.

The invention is capable of use in many different connections, although it is of especial utility when incorporated in a v1se or clamp,'being adapted in this event to hold one of a pair of jaws in an adjusted position.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification, I have shown in detail two of the several forms of embodiment of the invention which to enable those skilled in the art to practise the same will be set forth fully in the following description. I do not restrict myself,

however, to this particular disclosure; I may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vise provided with locking means for one of the jaws thereof, involving the invention. Fig, 2 is a vertical sectional view of the right jaw of the vise equipped with said locking mechanism, a part of the supporting rod of the vise being illustrated in elevation. Fig. 3 is a view of said jaw as seen from the left in Fig. 2 and partly in section. Fig. 4c is a top plan view of a clamp, the right-hand jaw of which is furnished with locking mechanism embodying the invention. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of said right jaw of Fig. 1 and portions of the supporting rods.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views which are on difierent scales.

As already observed, the invention is not restricted to use in any particular field. In the drawings it is shown comprising part of a vise and a clamp respectively. I will first refer to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. The numeral 2 denotes a supporting member which may be in the form of an elongated bar usually but not necessarily rectangular in cross sec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 21, 1916.

Patented J une 13, 1916.

Serial No. 92,742.

.screw 6 through the action of the manipulating member or handle 7 the aw 3 can be moved toward or from the companion jaw 4: longitudinally of the bar 2. Except for the slot 8 through which the bar or support 2 extends, the inner or operative surface of the jaw or block 4: is imperforate. Said jaw or block f has a chamber 9 intersecting or opening into the slot 8, the rear or outer end of the chamber 9 being open as at 10 for a reason that will hereinafter appear. Mounted in the chamber 9 is a locker or dog of suitable type which is connected with the jaw or block 41 or its equivalent for swinging movement and for movement bodily,

some desirable manner, convenient means for obtaining which will be hereinafter set forth. A locker :or dog which answers my purposes is that denoted in a general way by 11. This locker or dog as represented has a slot 12 shown as being of cam form, the slot being curved upwardly and rearwardly. Through said slot the pin or stud 13 extends, the stud being disposed transverselyof the chamber 9 and its ends fitting perforations 14: in the opposite side walls of the chamber, the pin in the present instance being therefore immovable. Surrounding the pin within the cam slot 12 is an anti-friction roller 15, the ends of which are approximately flush with the side faces of the locker or dog 11. The locker 11 is adapted to engage the'support 2 and its operative or support engaging face is of cam form and serrated or roughened as. shown at 16. The locker or dog has a tail-piece 17 projecting through the rear opening 10, this tail-piece providing a simple way of operating at will the locker or dog. 1' a In the chamber .or cavity 9 is a coiled push spring 18, one end of which receives within it the rearwardly projecting boss 19 on the block 4 in said chamber 9. The opposite or rear end of the spring receives the shank of the plug 20, the head 21 of the plug having a spherical portion to engage the nose 22 of these particular movements being secured in the locker and thus yieldingly hold the pin 13 or the roller 15 which constitutes a part thereof normally in the forward end of the slot 12 and to thereby yieldingly maintain the operative portion 16 of the locker or dog 11 in biting engagement with the support 2. When this relation is present, it will be clear that the block 4: is locked to the support. To free the block the manipulating portion 14 will be swung upward as shown by the dotted lines 23 in Fig. 2 to thus disengage the active portion of the locker from the support 2. When this is done the jaw or block 4 can be moved freely lengthwise of the bar 2 and when it isin the predetermined position, the locker 11 will be released when the spring 18 moves the locker into engagement with the support. It will be assumed that the jaw or block 4 has been adjusted and that work of some kind is between said jaw and the companion j aw 3 and further that the screw 6 is being operated to advance the last mentioned jaw. On the thrust of the work against the jaw 4, the latter owing to its relation with the locker 11 can move relatively to said locker as shown by the dotted lines 24, so that the roller 15 can traverse the slot 12 and therefore swing the locker bodily and pivotally inward as indicated for instance by the dotted lines 25 in said Fig. 2. This results in a wedging action of the pin 13 against the locker and a wedging action of the locker against the support, the greater the pressure applied to the jaw, the greater being the purchase of the locker on the bar 2. When the work is freed, the latter releases the jaw 4t, and when the same is in the full line position in Fig. 2, the locker 11 can be manipulated if necessary to wholly disengage the same from the support or bar 2.

In Figs. 4; and 5 I have shown parallel rods 30 and 31 constituting a suitable support for the jaws 32 and 33, both of which are perforated to receive the parallel rods. The said guide and supporting rods" 30 and 31 are shown connected at one end by the bridge-piece 3a through which the screw 35 is threaded, the screw having a connection with the jaw 32 and an operating lever 36. The jaw 33 has chambers 37 and 38 to receive the lockers 39 and 10. These lockers 39 and 4:0 operate exactly like the locker 11, and therefore, require no detailed description, it being clear of course, that the locker 39 cooperates with the rod 30, while the locker 40 cooperates with the-rod 31.. I might also add that the tail portions 41 and 42 of the two lockers 39 and 40 are so positioned' that they can be simultaneously operated by one hand, being shown as disposed between the rods 30 and 31 .and facing each other.

WVhat I claim is:

1. A block and a dog for locking the block to a support, and a pin for connecting the dog with the block, one of the two first mentioned parts being cam-slotted to receive the pin. to thereby provide for movements pivotally and bodily of the dog, the pin being adapted to traverse the cam surface of the cam slot on movement of the dog to thereby apply a cam locking movement to the 0g. 7

2. A block, a dog for locking the block to a support and having a cam slot, and a pivot pin carried by the block and extending through the cam slot, the pin being adapted to traverse the cam surface of the cam slot on movement of the dog to thereby apply a cam locking movement to the dog.

3. A block, a dog for locking the block to a support .and having a cam slot, a pin carried by the block and extending through the slot, the pin acting against the wall of the slot to apply a camming action to the dog on the movement of the latter, and a pin in the block acting against the dog to normally yieldingly hold one end wall of the slot against the pin.

4. A block, a dog for locking the block to a support and having a cam slot, a pin carried by the block and extending through the slot, the pin having a roller inside the slot, and a spring in the block acting against the dog to normally yieldingly hold one end wall of the slot against the pin.

5. A block having a slot extending therethrough and also having a chamber intersecting the slot, a dog in the chamber, a pin extending across the chamber and im movably connected therewith, the dog having a cam-shaped slot, and the operative portion of the dog being also-of cam form, a roller on the pin fitted in said cam slot, and a spring in said chamber constantly acting against the dog.

6. A block having a slot extending therethrough and also having a chamber intersecting the slot, a dog in the chamber, a pin extending across the chamber and immovably connected therewith, the dog having a cam-shaped slot, and the operative portion of the dog being also of cam form, a roller on the pin fitted in said cam slot, and a spring in said chamber constantly acting against the dog, said dog having an extension and the rear of said chamber being open, said extension projecting through the rear opening of the chamber.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY A. STEUERNAGEL.

Witnesses:

L. L. MARKEL, HEATH SUTHERLAND.

fiopiea of this patent may be obtaiaed. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

